Abortion ruling reaction

LOCATION OF CLINICS

The closest abortion clinic to the Crossroads is in Corpus Christi, more than 80 miles away. There are three in Austin, six in Houston and three in San Antonio.

What do you think about a federal judge's ruling that Texas abortion restrictions are unconstitutional?

"This legislation plays a critically important role in improving safety standards for women and protecting the lives of unborn children. I am extremely disappointed in Judge Yeakel's opinion, which delays the implementation of certain provisions of HB 2. Earlier today, the attorney general's office appealed the court's ruling. I have absolute confidence that they will continue the legal fight to ensure the enactment of this legislation in its entirety and will ultimately be successful in their efforts."

Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy

"I think as soon as you hear a heartbeat and you kill it off, that would be murder. ... I think these (Texas') restrictions are good because they're slowly dying it (abortions) off. I think that's a great way. I think Texas is handling it very well."

Mark Smith, 24, of Victoria, Lowe's employee

"I think the judge did right by doing that because I am not for abortion, but I believe a woman should have a choice about what she wants to do with the child. Morally, I don't believe in it."

Justice Lewis, 17, of Victoria, student

What do you think about a federal judge blocking a Texas rule that doctors who perform abortions have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility?

"I know that in any medical procedure, something can go wrong. I think having a higher care facility that a doctor can have a patient transported to that's close by, I think that sounds like a very reasonable thing to me. You know, I really don't have an opinion (about abortion) one way or another. It's a very complicated issue, but I think that the rules were not so unreasonable that they had to (be) ruled against."

Eric Bunch, 46, of Victoria, nurse

"First of all, I'm not for abortion. I don't believe in it unless there were other circumstances, like it was not up to the woman. I think it's not the hospital's discretion whether or not a doctor needs admitting privileges 30 miles away. I believe it should not be up to the hospital to say, 'Oh, we're not taking this patient because she's having an abortion.' So if something is going wrong with that woman, they are basically just going to let her suffer because she made that choice whether they are for it or not."

Jillian Bonda, 27, of Victoria, coffee manager at Hastings

"I am completely against abortion. There is way too many ways to prevent an unwanted pregnancy even if it's something as bad as rape. There's always Plan B, so there shouldn't be accidents. About what the judge said, it makes sense that if you're going to have an abortion, that you should be somewhere where you are close to being safe in case something goes wrong. It just makes sense."

Paulina Pope, 23, of Inez, prep cook

"Even though I'm against abortion, if you're going to do it and if something goes wrong, I think they should have access to a hospital. That's a pretty risky thing you're doing. If it goes wrong, you should be able to go to a hospital and fix that."

Kristen Haund, 18, of Victoria, student

"The only reason a person should get an abortion is if they were raped. ... That's the only reason why abortion should be legal. ... Yes, abortion is very disliked among a lot of people, but hospitals shouldn't deny access for doctors (who perform abortions) because if they deny access, people will get it done somewhere else, like a shady corner. You want it to be done in a nice area. ... Some clinics aren't very clean or very decent. A hospital is clean."

Emily Hayes, 22, of Victoria, Victoria College employee

What do you think about a federal judge blocking a Texas rule that women follow a federally approved regimen for drug-induced abortion - as opposed to a more commonly used evidence-based regimen?

"I think the Plan B thing is not a bad idea at all. I think after you have unprotected sex, it's probably safe to go to the doctor the next day and take that. But after three weeks or so it's just like, 'Why would you wait that long?' Because then you are really killing something that's already human, and I think it's honestly murder."